highlightâ&#x20AC;&#x160;/ Our minds have the perceptual quality
by which an observable thing stands out relative to
its environment if deemed important. We highlight
this object and permanently embed it within our
memories for future references.
As a citizen of design, I employ design theories
to apply such highlights to things of intrigue and
fascination, with the hope of making this world
a bit more memorable for everyone.

p. / 007

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TABLE OF
CONTENTS

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01 11
ch. / 01

c at c h r i g h t b at c h

project /
Safe Catch
>>

class /
Visual
Thinking
>>

instructor /
David Hake
>>

year /
Summer 2013

p. /007

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

Instead of providing generic
information to an already
informed audience, the
Safe Catch campaign makes
it easier for people to buy
ocean-friendly seafood.

SAFE CATCH

growing problem of overfishing through design in
a way that would pique peoples’ interest in this
environmental issue without adding social pressure.
If equipped correctly, an informed consumer can
make a choice that helps alleviate the problem on
both local and global scale.

c at c h r i g h t b at c h

objective / This project intends to address the ever-

ch. / 01

strategy / Catching too much fish without stringent
regulations leads to an overall degradation of
the global ecosystem, making overfishing a nonsustainable use of the oceans. In this project, I took
relatable comparisons and posed the problem as
interesting trivia. Thus making the consumer stay
intrigued without being reproachful. This was
achieved through the diligent use of BTL media like
brochures, booklets, calendar cards, labels, POS
materials, etc. The concept was to introduce the
‘Safe Catch’ label in the market and help people buy
ocean-friendly seafood. Some of the key results that
the campaign focused to achieve were — to help
consumers and businesses make the right choices for
healthy oceans and to create local supply and demand
for environmentally-sustainable seafood products.

p. /009

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ch. / 01

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p. /019

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02 11
ch. / 02

ta b o o t o r n n a k e d

project /
Peter Greenaway
Film Festival
>>

class /
Integrated
Communications
>>

instructor /
Christopher
Morlan
>>

year /
Spring 2014

p. /02 1

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

‘Life, Death and Sex in Between’
is a film festival that celebrates
Peter Greenaway by exploring
provocative eroticism, sexual
pleasure and deaths that
are prominent in his films.

FILM FESTIVAL

Peter Greenaway, find an underlying theme in each
of his films and create materials for a film festival
that carried a cohesive design language. My objective
was to create complex set of materials that would
function together as a whole — from retail environments

ta b o o t o r n n a k e d

objective / I aspired to understand the works of

ch. / 02

and product lines to brands and books. I was tasked
to marry multiple messages with divergent formats —
all with a unified approach and holistic aesthetic.
strategy / Considered an avant-gardist with a wide
access to mainstream cinema, Peter Greenaway’s
unique visual language reveals a strong influence
by his training as a painter, structural linguist and
philosopher. The challenge was to create a rich
dramatic experience that matches the stark bold
images in the films of Greenaway.
The images are influenced by Renaissance painting,
its architecture and juxtaposition to nature exploring
the limits of provocative eroticism, sexual pleasure
and death. I decided to use white cotton, black leather
and red velvet to drive across the textures of life,
death and sex that were so prominent in all his films.
The bold use of colors along with the images made the
visual experience very extravagant and grandiose.
The festival was designed to speak to the audience —
art aficionados, film buffs and Greenaway’s fans who
would gather to celebrate his works as a director,
painter and writer.

p. /02 3

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ch. / 02

ta b o o t o r n n a k e d

p. /02 5

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ch. / 02

ta b o o t o r n n a k e d

p. /02 7

A Peter Greenaway Film Festival

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 02

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ch. / 02

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p. /031

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ch. / 02

ta b o o t o r n n a k e d

day 02
2.00pm – 4.00pm:
The Belly of an Architect
4.00pm – 6.00pm:
Exhibition of the drawings
and paintings of Greenaway.
6.00pm – 8.00pm:
Drowning by Numbers

day 01
2.00pm – 3.00pm:
Greeting guests with a short
musical opera as an ode to
the rich music notably found
in Greenaway’s films. This
will be followed by a friendly
introduction to some of his
work over complimentary
refreshments and drinks.
3.00pm – 5.00pm:
The Pillow Book
6.00pm – 8.00pm:
The Draughtsman’s Contract

day 03
3.00pm – 5.00pm: The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover
5.00pm – 6.30pm: A
rich visual experience garnished with the
reinterpretation of Leonardo’s famous painting,
‘The Last Supper’.
6.30pm – 9.30pm: A
special gathering to discuss the director’s work,
exchange ideas over playful banter and enjoy the
evening over hors d’oeuvres and artful concoctions.

p. /033

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ch. / 02

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>>

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>>

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p. /05 1

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03 11
ch. / 03

sight free bliss

project /
Blind
Book
>>

class /
Experimental
Typography
>>

instructor /
Stan
Zienka
>>

year /
Spring 2014

p. /05 3

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

Through type, this book illustrates
my blind journey through pockets
of a neighborhood, while I relied
solely on my senses of smell,
sound, touch and a whole lot of
faith and intuition.

BLIND BOOK
undertaking of extensive research, writing, image
gathering and of course, design. The main source of
research material was my own environment. I was
to mentally and physically record things that I saw,
heard, touched and smelt as I went about my daily

sight free bliss

objective / The blind book is a result of a large

ch. / 03

routine. These recordings were then to be the fuel
for my writing and designing of a visual book that
typographically told my story.
strategy / It’s a regular ritual of mine to pick a locale
from a stack and set out to make microculture maps
of this quirky city which is slowly becoming my home.
For this project, I set out to document one such
journey through a neighbourhood, but this time
with my eyes closed!
I decided to blindfold myself and take a sightless tour
of one of San Francisco’s coziest neighbourhoods —
Bernal Heights. I had walked a block with my eyes
closed once before and the experience was a memory
that was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.
This book tells my story, what I ‘see’ with my ears,
nose, skin; and my inner musings as I try to make
sense of what’s around me.

p. /05 5

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 03

sight free bliss
p. /05 7

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 03

sight free bliss
p. /05 9

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 03

sight free bliss

And today I decided I am going
to stay blind for a little longer.

p. /06 1

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 03

sight free bliss
p. /06 3

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04 11
ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

project /
Borders
Rebrand
>>

class /
Nature
of Identity
>>

instructor /
Hunter
Wimmer
>>

year /
Fall 2014

p. /06 5

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

Information and learning are
like two peas in a pod. Through
a reformatory rebrand, Borders
transformed itself from being
just a warehouse of information
to a space that goes beyond the
written word.

BORDERS REBRAND

the essence of the Borders brand and distill it.
The objective then was to catapult the brand into
an entirely new category while remaining true to
its core essence.
strategy / Borders was a publicly held bookchain that

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

objective / This rebranding project aimed to identify

ch. / 04

revolved around forming a community of people and
providing them with knowledge and entertainment.
After conducting an extensive research on bookstores
around the world and how this business looks like in
the tech-driven future, I came up with a new plan for
Borders based on their core objective. Instead of just
being a bookstore, the new Borders would aim to be
a brand that fosters a communal feeling and connects
people through a shared learning experience. It would
be a place for a young audience to gain knowledge
from other people in their own community.
The new mark for Borders is a combination of an
owl and the infinity symbol conveying knowledge,
wisdom and connection. In the infinity symbol, the
circles sit side by side, implying equality between
opposing forces, while converging at a single point.
The sign epitomizes the idea of “Two becoming one”
and it stands for wholeness and completion. The mark
makes a simple and bold graphic statement that can be
adopted on different platforms.

p. /06 7

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ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

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ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

p. /071

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ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

p. /073

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ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

p. /075

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

minimum size: 30mm / 80 px / 1inch

minimum size:
12mm / 32 px /
0.5 inch

ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s
p. /077

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

p. /079

THE EXPERTS

THE DOERS

THE MARVELS

THE VISTA

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

p. /081

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ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

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ch. / 04

s pa c e b e y o n d w o r d s

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ch. / 04

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p. /087

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05 11

ch. / 05

w i l d h e a r ts b e at

project /
Wedding
Card Design
>>

team
member /
Rahul
Sawant
>>

year /
Fall 2014

p. /089

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

Using various printing
techniques, I was able to create
beautiful wedding invites that
were a balanced combination of
simplicity and sophistication.

WEDDING CARD DESIGN

me to design my own wedding card. And with over six
hundred guests on the list, the pressure was pretty
high. We wanted to maintain the traditional Indian
design aesthetics while adding a touch of the modern
to the cards. We created illustrative patterns based on

w i l d h e a r ts b e at

strategyâ&#x20AC;&#x160;/ As a designer, it was an absolute must for

ch. / 05

our personalities, muses and quirks that accompanied
elegant typography. We used a combination of
letterpress and foil-stamping for printing the card and
laser-cutting to create the outer sleeves with pinpoint
precision. The result was a wedding invite
that was a cut above the expected and left people
in genuine excitement for the upcoming wedding.

p. /09 1

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ch. / 05

w i l d h e a r ts b e at

p. /09 3

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ch. / 05

w i l d h e a r ts b e at

p. /09 5

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ch. / 05

w i l d h e a r ts b e at

p. /09 7

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ch. / 06

seek every thrill

06 11

project /
Merrell
Packaging
>>

class /
Package
Design 2
>>

instructor /
Michael
Osborne
>>

year /
Fall 2014

p. /09 9

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

A brand-new packaging was
created to launch Merrell’s
campaign for its summer range
of products by compounding
aerial topographic imagery
with contrasting diagonals
and superimposed textures.

MERRELL IN-STORE PACKAGING

campaign for Merrell and to design a system while
exploring a wide range of three-dimensional packaging
possibilities. We were to draft a marketing brief,
conduct research to develop designs that visually
reinforced the brand and to create packaging with a

seek every thrill

objective / The aim was to create an in-store packaging

ch. / 06

strategic design perspective on brand development.
strategy / Merrell embraces the amazing diversity
and unique sense of adventure that California offers
at every turn. This in-store packaging system was
designed to launch their new campaign for the
summer, encouraging people to go camping, hiking
and exploring the great outdoors with Merrell’s
new product range.
With a revolutionary shoebox and ingenious packaging,
the summer collection was sure to spark enthusiasm
that propels and prepares the customers for their
adventurous journeys. The design language used
images of aerial photography, topographic maps
& satellite photographs with deep contrasts, scaling
diagonals and superimposed textures to reinforce the
thrill of adventure while keeping the original feeling
of the Merrell brand intact. We were able to engineer
true product innovation that was backed by multidimensional design strategy.

p. / 101

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ch. / 06

seek every thrill

p. / 103

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ch. / 06

seek every thrill

p. / 105

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ch. / 06

seek every thrill

p. / 107

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 06

seek every thrill

p. / 109

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 06

seek every thrill

p. / 111

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07 11
ch. / 07

cross over lines

project /
Sacred
Space
>>

class /
Sacred
Geometry
>>

instructor /
Mark
Reynolds
>>

year /
Fall 2014

p. / 113

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

These constructions represent
the definition of my sacred
space. The lines and arcs align
with the planes of the earth, sun,
moon and the stars to construct
cosmic balance.

SACRED SPACE

exploration into how the principles of sacred geometry
affect the circle, sphere and wheel, as well as touch the
celestial bodies and the universe. We started defining
what space was most sacred to us — be it physical or
emotional. And based on this definition, we were able

cross over lines

objective / This project aspired to be a visual

ch. / 07

to reflect our interpretation of “sacred” upon these
art pieces using geometric constructs.
strategy / Knowledge comes from many external
sources through everyday life but wisdom & true
knowledge comes from within oneself. Based on this
belief, I chose to create geometric designs on three
auspicious symbols described in Jainism, Buddhism
and Hinduism—Purnakalasha, Swastika and Minyugala.
Purnakalasha is a symbol of abundance and the source
of life. I created this icon taking the concept of earth
moon and circling the square to drive this idea of life
and divinity, using the pitcher as earth and the lotus
as moon. The Swastika is an equilateral cross with its
arms bent at right angles. Minyugala is a symbol that
depicts the flow of divine life in the cosmic ocean, and
consists of two fishes, which usually appear vertically
parallel and turned towards each other. I created this
piece using vesica piscis as the base of my creation.

p. / 115

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 07

cross over lines
p. / 117

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ch. / 07

cross over lines
p. / 119

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ch. / 07

cross over lines
p. / 12 1

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08 11
ch. / 08

light bright futures

project /
GE Annual
Report
>>

class /
Type
Systems
>>

instructor /
Tim
Carpentar
>>

year /
Fall 2013

p. / 12 3

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

The GE report broke the
traditionally drab format of
data presentation and strove to
strike a one-on-one conversation
using seamless visual language
and making information fun
& interesting.

GE ANNUAL REPORT

General Electric brand, the objective was to recognize
the design of typographic elements as a primary core of
graphic design, and to explore the issues of content as
they apply to current graphic design arenas that range
from traditional print into new-media applications.
strategyâ&#x20AC;&#x160;/ With a simple yet futuristic content design,

light bright futures

objectiveâ&#x20AC;&#x160;/ While redesigning the annual report of the

ch. / 08

the GE annual report spoke to current shareholders
and investors with the goal of attracting a younger
audience for future investment opportunities at the
company. The layout showcased illustrated designs
of technology developed by the brilliant GE engineers.
The typography throughout the book is clean and
minimal, and provided the reader with a good visual
hierarchy of content. The digital version of the report
used videos, touch-functionality, animation of graphics
and imagery to add interactivity and start an immersive
conversation with its current and future shareholders.

p. / 12 5

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 12 7

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 12 9

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 131

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 133

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 135

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 137

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 139

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ch. / 08

light bright futures

p. / 141

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09 11
ch. / 09

c r av e e v e r m o r e

project /
Music
Poster
>>

class /
Experimental
Typography
>>

instructor /
Stan
Zienka
>>

year /
Spring 2014

p. / 143

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

Different techniques were used
to distort light, color and type to
create a chaotic experience that
bared the soul of my song.

GIVE ME MORE

a rationale for interpreting a piece of music through
typography, imagery and layout. After choosing the
music track, we wrote down, gathered and researched
every idea, emotion, metaphor and visual that we
associated with the song. We then used projectors

c r av e e v e r m o r e

objective / The intention of this project was to develop

ch. / 09

to compose different pieces onto various surfaces to
create more dimensional design solutions.
strategy / I chose to work with the “Give me more”
soundtrack by Fever Ray for this project. My personal
interpretation of this song was — ‘As humans, we are
always desiring, craving for something more. In that
state, we lose our kindness, and become harsh and
unfriendly. Our selfishness permeates all our senses
and we forget to see the bigger priorities of life. We are
crushed by it as it fills us up, satisfies us in a way that
makes us neither want nor need anything or anyone
else.’ I used beautiful italic type-lockups and paired
them with singular bold words to create interesting
fusions of forms. Techniques like distortion of light,
folding, rough textures and graphics were used to
create a chaotic visual experience that conveyed the
meaning of the song in a very typographical manner.

p. / 145

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 09

c r av e e v e r m o r e

p. / 147

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

ch. / 09

c r av e e v e r m o r e

p. / 149

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10 11
ch. / 10

stick shift media

agency /
Flying Cursor
Interactive
>>

job title /
Senior
Designer
>>

year /
2010 - 2012

p. / 15 1

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

Working as a designer in a tightknit agency helped refine my visual
aesthetics and develop a sense for
finding pragmatic design solutions.

FLYING CURSOR INTERACTIVE

in Mumbai which was my work home for over two
years. We helped brands in creating conversations
that were not just relevant, but interesting, inspiring
and rewarding. Working in a small design studio,
I got a chance to work hand in hand and learn from

stick shift media

descriptionâ&#x20AC;&#x160;/ Flying Cursor is a digital design agency

ch. / 10

a very experienced team of copywriters, developers
and designers. I was able to establish an understanding
of how to manage content, conduct extensive research,
distill information and create meaningful design that
spoke to the audience.
disclaimerâ&#x20AC;&#x160;/ The creative copyright of all the work
showcased in this chapter belongs to Flying Cursor
Interactive and was a collaborative effort of the team
that I was a part of.

p. / 15 3

/ s e l e c t e d w o r k s o f s h a i ly s h a h

MATSYA CRAFTS

company was a big challenge. The website was
designed to show all the things that matsya stands
for; their earthy and organic products, rural artisans,
traditional Indian craft & culture, the services they
offer and much more.

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description / Doing justice to this small but growing

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Streamlining all these aspects, we created different
motifs and icons which were a blend of all Indian
art forms. Every page was designed differently using
illustrations, copy and photographs to tell a story.
client / Matsya Crafts
deliverables / Website, Promotional materials
link / www.matsyacrafts.com

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MOKSH ZIP

version of Moksh, the fitness centre. Using a dark
background made the slab serif typeface and the
images look vibrant, while the logo colors — bright
green and pink, became the eye candy of the website.
Being content-heavy, all the information on the site has

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description / Website design for Moksh Zip, the prêt

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been laid out with easy navigation and sections for the
visitors and potential members.
client / Pritish Nandy Communications
deliverables / Website

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CHILDRENS FILM SOCIETY INDIA

site with a different content flow while keeping
the wide global audience in mind. The website was
designed using minimal elements and child-like
illustrations to stay away from the overly amateur
look of the previous website.

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description / Our goal was to redesign an existing

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ICFFI is one of the largest and most colorful
children’s film festivals in the world. More than
a hundred thousand children travel from little
villages and towns from across India to view high
quality international children’s cinema that they
would never be exposed to otherwise. The design
of the microsite was colorful yet simple and made
it possible for the client to showcase schedules and
information without adding clutter.
client / CFSI India
deliverables / Website, Microsite, Print collaterals
link / www.cfsindia.org

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11

11
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look skin deep

project /
Master’s
Thesis
>>

class /
Directed
Study
>>

instructor /
Hunter
Wimmer
>>

year /
Spring 2015

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This thesis project is a culmination
of one and a half year of extensive
research, design thinking and
problem solving on a topic
addressing the beauty standards
in modern Asia.

MASTER’S THESIS

certain beauty norms. In India, fair skin was always
considered high status & beautiful. Whereas people
with dark dusky skin were looked down upon as ugly
or of lower class. I have dark tan skin and I often had

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why this topic? / I grew up in a society surrounded by

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people suggesting different fairness creams for my
face. They made it seem that it would much harder for
me to find the right life-partner or a good job because
of the color of my skin. Hence through my thesis, it is
my goal to get young Asian women to appreciate their
unique features instead of being slaves of the societal
standards of beauty.
strategy / The standard of beauty is changing the face
of eastern Asia. Literally. The Western idea of what is
beautiful has infiltrated Asian culture and influenced
how we Asian women view ourselves, making us feel
unworthy, unlovable and ugly.
Photomanipulations, make-up, and plastic surgeries
have created hyper beauty images that no one, not even
the models themselves, can live up to in real life. As a
result, too many Asian women are starting to look alike.

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defining an audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x160;â&#x20AC;&#x160;/ The traits and strengths
attributed to these archetypes serve as a general
description of the overall personas. These cards tell a
story of an archetype which helps in personifying an
idea without making it personal. Instead of giving them
individual names, I have given the archetypes different
handles that were derived from their traits. The
attributes given to them helped me in identifying a few
people around me who could fit the same description.

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SOCIETY & MEDIA
BOMBARDMENT

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100%YOU IS A
PROJECT THAT AIMS
ON GETTING YOUNG
ASIAN WOMEN TO
APPRECIATE THEIR
UNIQUE AND NATURAL
SELVES INSTEAD
OF ADHERING TO
UNREALISTIC BEAUTY
STANDARDS SET BY
THE SOCIETY.

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conducting an eventâ&#x20AC;&#x160;â&#x20AC;&#x160;/ For the 100%You event,
we invited young Asian females from China, Taiwan,
Korea, Thailand and Japan to participate and celebrate
their unique beauty. The event gave them a chance to
see beauty through a different lens by taking part in a
photo-session. It was a place for young women to get
their voice heard and show what makes them beautiful
and one-of-a-kind. These natural portraits were then
compared with photo-manipulated ones, showing
these women the results of extreme surgery and
getting them to appreciate the unique imperfections
of natural human features.

THANK YOU NOTE
To you, the special people in my life,
Thank you, thank you and thank you!
You have given me constant love, support and votes of
confidence everytime I needed them. It would have been
nothing short of impossible for me to have made it this
far without you.
You have been my muses, compasses, anchors, napkins
and safety-nets. I always knew how busy you guys were,
and pages would not contain the deep gratitude that
I have for every single one of you for helping me out.
Forever grateful,
Shaily